Sheet-feeding mechanism



July 2, 1929. v A. BROADMEYER I 1,719.044

SHEET FEEDING MECHANI SM Filed June 13, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet l attozmq July 2, 1929. BROADMEYER 1,719,044

SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM Filed June 13 L927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 w nv Q Q Q m v fllber't' Braai'meyer y 1929- A. BROADMEYER 1.719.044

SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM Filed June 13, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 I gwuwntoz July 2, 1929.

A. BROADMEYER SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM Filed June 13, v 92v 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 dlbert fir'oairr reyer- July 2, 1929.

A. BROADMEYER SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM Filed June 13 L927 5 Sheets-Sheet fll'be'r t' Broadmeyer elktozmq Patented July 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES A 1,719,044 PATENT oFFlcE.

ALBERT BROADMEYER, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE W. O.

HICKOK MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF HARRISBURG, FEN'NSYLVANIA, A. 00131- PORA'I'ION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SHEET-FEEDING MECHANISM.

Application filed June 13, 1927. Serial No. 198,550.

The present invention relates to sheet feeding apparatus, particularly sheets of paper, card-board and the like, and the object is to provide novel mechanism of a simple character, by which the top of the pile of sheets may be maintained at a constant level, irrespective of the speed at which the sheets are removed. y

In the accompanying drawings the mechanism is shown as part of an interleaving apparatus that constitutes the subject-matter of a companion application. It is to be understood, howeventhat the mechanism is not limited to such use.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of such an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a view in elevation of the op posite side,

Figure 3 is a top plan view,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view 011 the line 1 l of Figurefi,

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 41,

Figure 6 is a view in elevation of the ratcheting mechanism,

Figure 7 is a sectional view on the line 7-7 of Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a vertical cross sectional view,

Figure 9 is a detail view of the pawl car rier and detent, showing the latter in its operative position and with the operating link at one end of its throw.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9, but with the operating link at the opposite end of its throw.

In the structure disclosed, a suitable frame 11 is provided, in which is located a lay-boy 12. Sheets of paper that have been operated on are carried toward the layboy. by a conveyor 13 that delivers into a guideway 14. This guideway directs the sheets to a second conveyor 15 that delivers the sheets into the lay-boy 12.

Beneath the conveyor 13 and at the front end of the frame 11 is shown the sheet feeder, constituting the subject-matter of the present invention.

Standards 16 are provided, on which are vertically movable sleeve 16, and these sleeves carry bars 17 on which is mounted a pile sup porting table 18. On the upper ends of the standards 16 are heads 19, which in the present embodiment constitute parts of brackets 22:0 extending to the front end of: the

11. Journaled on these brackets are stub shafts .21 carrying sprocket wheels 22. Sprocket chains 23, fastened to the opposite sides of the table, pass over the sprocket wheels 22.

The stub shafts 21 furthermore carry worm gears 24 that are in mesh with worms 25 on a cross shaft 26 journaled in the heads 19. On one end of the cross shaft is fined a ratchet wheel 27, and journaled on the cross shaft 26 alongside the ratchet wheel. is a pawl. carrier 28. The pawl carrier has pivoted on its upper end a pawl 29 that engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel 27. It is also provided with. a depending arm 30 having a pin 31 engaged in a slot 32 formed in one end of an operating link 33, which. link has a crank connection. 34L with a rotating head 35. The pawl carrier 28 furthermore has a stop linger 36 projecting from one side. A swinging detent 37, pivoted at its lower end as shown at 38, is adapted to swing into and out of the path of the stop finger 36. This detent has a link connection with the crank arm 4:0 of a rock shaft ll that extends across the frame. A forwardly extending arm 42 has a clamp 13 that grips the rock shaft ll (see Fig. 4.) and thus adjustable along said rock shaft. The arm 12 is provided with a depending finger 4.4 that'rests on the top of a pile 4L5 of sheets supported on the table 18.

The crank head 35 is carried by a shaft 46 that extends across the machine above the rear end of the table, and this shaft is driven by a suitable belt 17 operating around a pulley 4:8 that is mounted on the rear end (see Fig. 3) The shaft 4:6 also preferably carries a feeding device, for example, a suction roller 19 that may correspond for example to that disclosed in my former Patent, No. 1,4-.94.-,303. Directly in rear of the suction roller 49 and shaft 16 are shown feeding rollers 50 that deliver the sheets to a guideway 51 which in turn direct them to the conveyor 15.

In the operation of this device, if the top of the pile 15 is low, the finger l4.- and arm 12 are of course depressed, so that the rock shaft 41 is turned to a position to withdraw the detent 37 to a position out of the path of the stop linger 36. Therefore as the shaft 16 and crank head 35 rotate and the link 33 moves forwardly, the :vavvl carrier 28 will. swing by gravity in a direction. to cause the pawl to ride over one or more teeth of the ratchet wheel 27. lVhen the link moves rearwardly under the action of the crank head, the pin 31 being at the front end of the slot 32, said link will swing the pawl carrier in the opposite direction and thereby cause the pawl to turn the ratchet wheel. This obviously rotates the cross shaft 26 and its worms, thereby turning the stub shafts 21 in a direction to raise the sprocket chains 23 and the table 18. lVhen the top of the pile reaches the desired elevation, the arm 42 will be raised thereby through the rock shaft 41, crank and link 39, swinging the detent 37 to .a position beneath the stop finger 36 of the pawl carrier 28. The consequence is that the pawl carrier cannotgravitate as the link 33 moves forwardly, so that the pawl 29 will not override the teeth of the ratchet wheel. The operation of the pawl carrier therefore becomes inefiective'and yetthe parts are so positioned that on each backward movement of the link 33 thepawl carrier 28 will be given a slight swinging movement sufiiciently to elevate the stop finger 36 from the top of the detent, and thus relieve the detent so that it can swing easily and without interference, should the top of the pile of sheets have been lowered sufficiently to remove the detent from the path of the stop finger.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

' lVhat I claim, is:

1. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with spaced standards, of sleeves slidable on the standards, a pile supporting table carried by the sleeves and substantially centered thereon, shafts journaled above the standards and having sprocket wheels above the standards, chains operating over the sprocket wheels and extending along the standards and connected to the sleeves in line with the standards and means for simultaneously rotating the shafts and sprocket wheels.

2. In sheet feeding ap )aratus, the combination with spaced standards having heads on their upper ends, of sleeves slidable on the standards and carrying oppositely outstanding arms, a pile supporting table carried by the arms, shafts journaled on the to s of the heads and having sprocket wheels a ove the upper ends of the standards, sprocket chains passing over the wheels and connected to the sleeves, a cross shaft geared to the above shafts, and means for rotating the cross shaft.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

ALBERT BROADMEYER. 

